A Time for Answers
by Jooles34
Summary: Torchwood is running smoothly until Jay Hunter arrives appearing not to take no for an answer, but what is she hiding?  Post season two, but COE didn't happen in this world. Follow up to Partners in Time, Vortex Manipulated and Agents of Mercy.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN:**__ Hello all! Here is the first chappie in the next episode of this series. Thanks again to everyone who follows this little series. Hopefully the title gives you some hope for the explanations you are after…_

_This starts about two months after the end of Agents of Mercy._

The two men strolled unhurriedly across the Plass, heading towards the water tower, enjoying extra moments in the Cardiff sun. One man had a bag of sandwiches clutched under an arm, the other carried a baker's box.

Their free arms hung loosely at their sides between them. Most other people in their position would have used the moment to have walked hand in hand. But that wasn't their style. They were content to walk, arms swinging lazily, the backs of their hands occasionally brushing against each other.

The older man said something that caused the younger man to laugh. It was a free, easy, natural laugh they both shared; that opened and lifted both their faces.

A photograph taken at that moment would have given a snap-shot of the pure happiness that exists between to people in…

…The air cracked behind them, startling both Jack and Ianto, making them both spin around. Their hands lowered instinctively to hover over their weapons.

There was a flash that briefly stung their eyes, but as their vision cleared the smiles returned to their faces. Their postures relaxing again as they both recognised the woman in the red leather coat who stood in front of them.

Jay Hunter didn't return the smile, and Jack and Ianto belatedly noticed that she had a gun on each hand.

"Jay?" Jack said slowly, cocking his head slightly.

Expressionless, and without a word, Jay squeezed the trigger of one gun. A pulse of electricity hit Ianto in the chest. His arms threw themselves wide, the bag of sandwiches arcing in to the air. His body jerked uncontrollably before he fell to the ground.

Quickly recovering his shock and disbelief, Jack pulled his gun, spinning away from the sight of Ianto's fallen body.

But he was too slow. Jay pulled the trigger on the second gun and a bullet shot out, tearing through the muscle of Jack's heart. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Jay moved forwards briskly. She allowed herself one moment to stare unapologetically into Jack's unseeing eyes before kneeling down next to Ianto. She checked his pulse and, satisfied, slipped her hands under his arms and hauled him into a half sitting position against her. His head lolled loosely back against her shoulder, the lax muscles giving his face a peculiar look of innocence and youth.

But Jay ignored his face. Tightening her arms around his body, she wrapped one of his hands around her vortex manipulator. Pressing a button, she created another flash in the sky, another crack in the air and she vanished, taking Ianto with her; away from Cardiff, away from Torchwood, away from Jack.

An alarm rang through the Hub.

"Gwen!" called Kathleen, "energy spike detected. It's showing right above our heads."

"Pull up the CCTV," Gwen instructed, moving to stand behind the girl at her terminal. They flicked quickly through the images being streamed from the various cameras around the Plass. They scrolled through until one image hovered in the screen that made Gwen's heart sink to her stomach. Ianto lay still on the ground and she watched the image for the fraction of a second it took for Jack's body to jerk with impact before hitting the ground. Gwen stared at the figure in front of them holding two weapons.

Gwen's gun was in her hand and she had the controls to the invisible lift activated before the alarms had had the chance to signal the second energy spike.

Jack felt the familiar tug on his body and soul. Blood rang in his ears and his body screamed silently, still without breath, as it was brought back towards life.

His body jerked as he gasped his way back to consciousness. He shook his head, trying to clear the pounding in his ears and cut through the lingering fog as he tried to work out where he was and how he had died this time.

But the pounding wouldn't stop. It took another second for him to realise that it wasn't his ears; it was footsteps, running footsteps pounding towards him. Jack looked up to see Gwen, gun in hand, running at him from the water tower.

It all flooded back to him in a second and in one movement he stood and spun to the place where Ianto had fallen. But he wasn't there. Jack turned on the spot, looking around him wildly, but knowing it was fruitless.

"Jack," Gwen cried, catching up to him.

"She's taken him; she's taken him!"

Jack set off at a run back towards the invisible lift. Gwen took a final look around before following him, leaving the team's lunch and source of jollity just moments before abandoned on the Plass.

Jack was barking orders before the lift had come to a stop, his team looking expectantly up at him having now seen the whole incident play out on the CCTV.

"Kathleen, chase that energy shift now. Track it and find the coordinates she jumped to. Find him. David, weapons store. We don't know what we're up against. Get us prepared for anything."

Gwen lay a hand on Jack's shoulder, "We'll find him Jack, we'll get him back."

"Jack, I…I…" Kathleen's voice was quiet. Gwen moved to her side and looked through the information on the screen.

"No, no, no!" She pushed Kathleen out of the way and hammered at the keyboard, but the readout remained the same. She gave another cry of frustration and shoved the keyboard away from her. "The readings make no sense; it's scrambled somehow. Jay's done something. There's just no trail to follow."

Jack moved over to see for himself. "No!" he roared. His hand reached blindly for the first thing that he could find and he threw it against the wall. Silence descended on the Hub as all eyes fell on the shattered remains of Ianto's mug.


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN:**__ Thank to Rachy Babes and Kiraclara for your kind comments and to everyone who has set an alert on this (not named as alerts aren't public like comments). Hope you continue to enjoy._

Ianto's brain was having an argument with itself. One part was trying to drag him back to consciousness, the other part was resolutely trying to keep him in happy oblivion.

_We need to regain consciousness and figure out what's happened._

The fact that we are unconscious probably means that we don't want to know.

_I'm going to wake us up now. _

Oh, please don't, I like it here.

Ianto groaned and blinked groggily. He was lying on his side and was instantly aware that his hands were cuffed behind his back. He opened his eyes and turned his head just in time to see three guns being cocked and aimed at him.

_Oh._

See? I really wish you hadn't woken us up.

_Maybe we could just pass out again?_

Now you're seeing things my way.

Ianto's eyes rolled back in his head and darkness claimed him again.

Jay sat in her office staring out of the window, lost in thought. Her work remained untouched on the desk and a soldier held her usual place in the corner of the room.

A knock sounded on her open door, pulling Jay out of her reverie. "Come in."

Another black-clad soldier, mirroring the one already in the room, walked in. "He's awake and asking to see you Ma'am."

Jay had long since given up laughing at the inappropriate honorific, so she simply stood and followed the soldier out.

'Asking to see her' turned out to be poetic license on the part of the soldier. Approaching the room where Ianto was being held she could already hear him shouting.

"Where the fuck is she? Jay! Jay? Come and fucking face me while I'm conscious. Jay? I know you're here. Jay!"

Jay stood back as a soldier opened the door before walking calmly into the room. Ianto, still cuffed, threw himself off the bed and hurtled toward her. Jay stood her ground, grinning at him, impassive while two of the three soldiers in the room rushed forwards to grab him. Ianto was pushed back onto the bed and all the guns in the room were trained on him. He ignored the weapons and glared at Jay, his eyes burning into hers.

"Where is he? What have you done to Jack?"

"He's safe, alive and at home I assume."

"And where am I?"

"Not at home."

"Where?" The shouting subsided, Ianto's voice was now a low growl.

"You're at the Time Agency's training barracks. You've been recruited."

"But I told you, I don't want to work for you. I work for Torchwood."

"We don't always get what we want Ianto. I'll be back when you've calmed down."

Jay left the room, motioning for the soldiers to come with her. As they shut and locked the door behind them, they could hear pounding against it.

"If he's as good as you say he is, someone should be in there within him, guarding him," one of the soldiers said anxiously.

"He is as good as I say he is and that's exactly why he doesn't need watching now. He won't make any rash attempts to escape until he knows more about where he is," Jay returned.

The pounding stopped.

"See?" Jay said to the soldiers, before turning and walking away.

The next day Jay was in her office resolutely pretending to work and ignoring the soldier in the corner again. She hadn't been back to see Ianto, though apparently the shouting had stopped. There was a knock at the door which made her jump.

"Come in."

One of the soldiers on detail to watch Ianto entered. "Third meal he's refused Ma'am."

Jay sighed, "Let me."

She stood and the soldier followed her out of the office and down the corridors. Another soldier stood outside Ianto's closed door with a tray of food in his hands. Jay took it from him and let herself into the room followed by the two soldiers.

Ianto was sat on the bed, leaning against the wall. One arm was cuffed flush to the wall, the other was also cuffed but in a longer restraint. It gave him enough le-way that he would be able to feed himself, but without being able to reach the other cuff.

Jay walked over and sat on the end of the bed, the tray on her lap. She lifted the spoon – she had made sure that he was not given a knife or fork – and lifted a portion of a green mass to her mouth. She chewed and looked at Ianto.

"Tastes a bit like potato."

She tore off a sliver of meat and popped in her mouth, grinning. "I know it's a cliché, but it really does taste like chicken."

Using her fingers again, she put one each of the orange, yellow and darker green strips into her mouth.

"These are revolting, but full of iron and nutrients. Like a cross between a parsnip and brussel sprouts."

Ianto had been watching her carefully through her whole performance. "What are you doing?" he finally asked.

"Well, I know you would want to eat because you'll be wanting to keep your strength up for your escape attempts. So refusing your food isn't some childish point you are trying to make. I therefore assume you are worried that we are trying to poison or drug you. As you can see, it is neither or I wouldn't have eaten it. Though when you taste those veggies you may with that we were poisoning you."

Jay took the tray off her lap and slid it across to Ianto. He gave it one last suspicious look before picking up a piece of the meat and putting it into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully and slowly.

"Hmm. It really does taste like chicken." He raised an eyebrow, then continued to eat in silence, carefully avoiding Jay's steady gaze as she watched him. Finishing the meal he pushed the tray away. Jay reached for it and Ianto's hand snapped out, grabbing her wrist, staring her in the eye.

Guns clicked behind Jay, but she waved them down with her free arm. "Stand down," she barked. Ianto didn't take his eyes off Jay, but he could see the guns hadn't been lowered.

"Doesn't look like your pets take instruction very well," he said.

"They worry about me," Jay returned with just as much snipe in her voice.

"Why am I here?" His grip on her wrist didn't relax.

"I told you. You've been recruited."

"And I told you, I don't want to be recruited."

"I know. That's why the chains are necessary."

Ianto yanked on Jay's wrist bringing her closer to him. "Why?" he growled.

"Because I need you. You have unique skills that I need. It's just one mission."

"One mission?" They were so close Jay could feel his breath on her face as they spoke and the air seemed to crackle between them.

"Yes. You stay here at the facility where you will receive full and intensive Time Agent training over the next few weeks. Then, when the time is right, you will help us on one mission."

"And then you return me to Torchwood?"

"Then, if you still want to go back, we will return you to Cardiff."

Jay moved suddenly and pulled her wrist from Ianto's grasp, grabbing the tray with her other hand and retreating backwards in one move. She started towards the door.

"Jack will find me, you know that," Ianto called from behind her, his voice strong and defiant.

Jay paused and turned to face him again. "No, he won't," she replied.

Ianto thought he saw a brief glimpse of sadness flash in her eyes, before her face became stoic again.

"Your training starts tomorrow."

Jay turned again and left the room, followed by the soldiers and the door clicked shut. Alone again, anger and frustration boiled inside Ianto and he yanked fruitlessly at the chains that bound him.

But if there was one thing Ianto had it was patience. He was starting to realise that they didn't intend to hurt him, not yet. They clearly needed him. And so, Ianto resolved, he would eat his meals, build his strength, take any training they offered him, bide his time and observe. Then, when the time was right, he would strike. And Jay would see exactly what happens when you piss off Ianto fucking Jones.

Jay didn't bother going back to her office to stare blankly at her work again, but instead headed straight for her room.

The ever-present soldiers that roamed the facility didn't, at least, come into her room. Although slightly larger than the main barrack rooms, it was basic with a wet room off to one side; it was similar to the one Ianto was being held in.

She had nowhere to prepare food so instead she normally took the meals provided in the mess to her office. She had no desire to eat with the soldiers and the other Time Agents had all been sent off on missions. But tonight she didn't feel like eating at all.

Jay lay back on her bed, not even bothering to remove her boots, and sighed. Being the leader of the new Time Agency was not what she had expected.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Thanks silentjellyfish and Rachy Babes for your comments *throws cookies* and also to everyone that's followed this, hello *waves*. But enough from me… 

Jay rose early the next morning. She took her time showering and dressing, choosing a deep red corset that Ianto had brought her when she had been stranded at Torchwood. She had treasured it and as her fingers brushed the material, memories of her time at Torchwood, her time with Ianto, flooded into her mind.

She pulled at the bindings fiercely, letting the cord dig into her fingers. She pretended it was that which brought the tears to her eyes and nothing else.

Ianto woke with a start and experienced a momentary flash of panic as he felt his arms cuffed together above his head. Then the memories of the last couple of days came back, perversely calming him a little.

Looking up he saw what had woken him. Two of the soldiers were in his room looking at him.

When he had first arrived he had been stripped of his suit and been dressed in what he now assumed to be training clothes. They were deep blue and gold and hugged his body, showing every curve and outline of muscle. Right now they were also displaying a proud bulge in Ianto's trousers. Ianto almost laughed. Morning wood got you wherever you were. Instead though, he focused on the two men watching him. Neither of them made any move to hide the fact that they were appraising his body. The younger one even licked his lips.

Interesting, thought Ianto.

He gave them both a filthy grin. "See something you like boys?"

This snapped the older soldier back to reality, while the other kept staring.

"Shower time," ordered the soldier now paying attention again. He kept is gun trained on Ianto as he motioned for the other soldier to un-cuff their captive.

The young man was broken out of his trance and stepped towards Ianto. Ianto wriggled on the bed in an attempt to make it seem as if he was making it easier for the soldier to get to the cuffs. In actual fact it meant that as the soldier leaned over, his ear and neck were exposed to Ianto's mouth.

"Thank you," Ianto said, purposefully lowering his voice into a husky tone and letting his breath ghost over the soldier's neck. Into watched as a small shiver ran through the other man, making him swallow heavily.

Very interesting indeed, thought Ianto. He remained still as the soldier moved back to his original position. Then he stood and walked to the shower room.

After relieving himself, he cleaned his teeth using the toothbrush he had found in there after he arrived. It was now woefully bent out of shape as he had tried to snap off the head yesterday in an effort to fashion a weapon. However, he had found that whatever kind of plastic it was made out of, it would only bend and nothing could make it snap.

He showered quickly using a soft, crumbly bar marked 'soap' and another marked 'shampoo'. It appeared he wasn't even trusted with bottles. Ianto was storing all these little observations together and they all led to one thing. These people were scared of him; seemingly very scared of him. Well, best not disappoint then.

Ianto turned off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist, low enough that the trail of hair leading down from his belly button was obvious, and the V of muscle that pointed to his groin could easily be seen.

He ruffled his hair to give it the mussed look that he knew always worked on Jack. It reminded him of sex apparently. But then most things reminded Jack of sex. Ianto bit down a pang of loneliness that accompanied the thoughts of Jack and focused again on the plan at hand. He splashed a little more water onto his face and chest then stepped out of the wet-room.

The response of the two soldiers was obvious, but once again much more so with the younger one. He swallowed deeply again and the hunger in his eyes was clear.

And we have just found the weak link, thought Ianto with satisfaction.

He tried to look embarrassed as he stood in front of the two men. "Aren't you going to leave so I can get dressed?" he asked.

"Our orders are to stay here," replied the elder soldier.

Still looking embarrassed, Ianto made a show of turning his back to them before removing the towel and drying himself carefully and deliberately.

"Putting on a show for the boys, Ianto?"

Ianto started in surprise at hearing the voice and spun around to see Jay now standing in front of the soldiers, grinning broadly. He quickly tied the towel back around his waist, no longer needing to feign embarrassment.

"They wouldn't leave," he said defensively.

"I don't blame them," replied Jay, still grinning.

Seeing red Ianto shot forward, throwing himself at Jay. Jay's gun was in her hand instantly and she spun it before lashing out and hitting Ianto hard in the face with the butt.

Ianto's head snapped back and he staggered backwards, falling onto the bed. Jay was across the room and on him in a second, her gun re-holstered. She straddled him and pinned his arms above his head, bringing her face close to his.

"I know what you're doing Ianto, you're testing the limits and you can save your energy. Yes, we need you alive. The men have orders not to use deadly force on you or incapacitate you any more than necessary. But they will happily use brute force, stun guns and drugs on you, so I suggest you stop testing them. Especially when I am not around." The last part was hissed quietly and Jay stared into Ianto's eyes trying to get her message through, before sitting up and releasing his hands. "And yes, that includes even if you come after me. Besides, it would do you good to remember that you're with the Time Agency; not only do you not know where you are, you don't know _when_ you are. Even if you managed to make it out of this facility there is no way that you could make it home."

"I could take your wrist strap."

"But you know that would kill me. And you wouldn't do that. Not for yourself. Not for the sake of two weeks."

Jay climbed off Ianto, turned and walked towards the door.

"Now get dressed. I'll be back in five minutes to start your training." She left the room motioning for the two soldiers to come with her. She addressed one of the soldiers on guard outside, "and get some new soldiers in here right now. Ones with some fucking will-power would be nice."

As the door shut, Ianto sat up slowly. Jay had been right. About everything. He hated that she could still read him so well; know him so well. It was then that he noticed what was lying on the bed next to him.

A suit. A charcoal grey, three piece, pin-stripped suit. A deep purple shirt lay next to it with a matching tie. It would have been immaculate, but it was slightly rumpled now from their recent confrontation.

He stared at it in confusion before turning back to the closed door.

Five minutes later Jay let herself back into Ianto's room without knocking. Ianto was standing in the middle of the room, waiting. Suit on, looking and feeling almost like himself. Except for the handcuffs he also sported, keeping his hands close together in front of his body.

"Come on," she said without pre-amble, motioning towards the door with her head.

Ianto put his head down and walked past her into the corridor outside. He hadn't been out of his room since he had arrived here three days ago. Two soldiers walked ahead of him leading down the corridor and Jay followed him out of the room and fell into step behind him. Two more soldiers followed them.

Ianto decided to change tack. "Why did you get me the suit?"

"Don't you like it?"

"Yes I like it, but do you buy all your prisoners expensive suits?"

"You like suits. You're comfortable in suits. I want you to be comfortable while you're here."

"I'd be comfortable if I didn't keep getting handcuffed to things."

"If you'd stop attacking people we wouldn't have to handcuff you."

They walked in silence for a moment.

"Two weeks?" asked Ianto.

"Three at most. I promise."

"So what's this training then?"

Jay turned to look at him then, a smile spreading across her face.

"Oh, you'll love it, Ianto. We can teach you everything. Electronics, explosives, engineering, physics, navigation, piloting, more types of hand to hand combat than you've even heard of. And we have 95% of all known weapons here, and you'll learn how to maintain and use them all."

Ianto smiled over at her. "Only 95%? That's rather lax."

"Yeah, well, our archivist isn't up to much."

They turned and smiled at each other; their natural friendship managing to surface above the tension.

"So you'll teach me all that huh?"

"Yup. By the time I'm done with you you'll be able to build a space cruiser with nothing more than paperclips and spit."

"Like McGyver!"

"Who?"

"Never mind."

They had reached a door and the soldiers in front of them walked through. Jay blocked his way briefly and brushed up close against him. She spoke quietly. "Nice move with the soldier earlier by the way. You are even sneakier than I gave you credit for. I'm having him moved off your detail. Don't try it again."

Jay stepped back, and walked away down the corridor leaving Ianto standing staring after her. As a soldier reached back to pull him into the room Ianto couldn't help but smile at the way Jay could still get under his skin. Damn her.


End file.
